Garden City

SUZHOU, China Trundling through Suzhou’s tree-lined bike paths
clients might encounter a whimsical symbol of the merging of
China’s old and new economies: the Ronald McDonald pedicab. The
familiar three-wheeled contraptions driver in front, small,
canopied carriage behind have all but disappeared in many of
China’s bigger cities. But Suzhou, despite a population of 5.7
million, has preserved much of its old-world ambiance. Sure, the
hamburger-hawking clown has arrived, but he has to conform to
Suzhou’s low-tech, ancient style.

Unlike booming Shanghai, a mere one hour to the west, Suzhou
(pronounced “Sue-Joe”) has consciously tried to preserve its
historical architecture as it develops. Its lingering traditional
flavor, with waterways, gardens and ancient arts, makes the city an
ideal destination for travelers in search of a picturesque town
with modern amenities.

Some 2,500 years old, Suzhou is often referred to as the “Venice
of the East.” Small canals crisscross its neighborhoods, and a
larger moat encloses the city center. The nearby Grand Canal, the
world’s longest manmade waterway, connects the city with
neighboring Wuxi and Hangzhou.

Suzhou is most famous for its gardens, many dating back a
thousand years.

“They’re masterpieces of the genre,” said Christina Liadis,
sales and operations manager for China Travel Service. “They’ve
been designated World Heritage Sites by UNESCO.”

While visiting all of the gardens could take weeks, a few should
not be missed. The Garden of the Master of Nets (Wangshi Yuan) is
the smallest garden, but connoisseurs consider it the best. To
create a relaxing atmosphere in the limited space required the
greatest of design skill. Well proportioned structures and visual
effects give the illusion of distance, and all of the elements
water, stone, buildings and plants are balanced in scenic
harmony.

Central to the garden is a koi pond surrounded by tiled roof
pavilions, small bridges and carefully cultivated vegetation.
Adjacent buildings, with elaborately carved window lattices, offer
a picture-perfect vista in every direction. As in all gardens in
Suzhou, the Garden of the Master of Nets features curious rock
formations from nearby Lake Tai, eroded by the water into intricate
natural sculptures.

In the evenings, the garden’s pavilions become stages. Visitors
move through the garden to see various traditional Chinese
performing arts, including the local Kun style of opera, and enjoy
the full moon from the Moon-watching Pavilion.

Another idyllic retreat is Tiger Hill, the symbol of Suzhou.
Built in the 10th century as a burial ground for He Lu, the city’s
founding father, the park is a sprawling 49 acres. Pathways and
bridges meander through its grottos and terraces, all surrounded by
a wide canal. According to myth, a white tiger came to protect the
grave of He Lu, so locals dubbed it Tiger Hill.

While there are no longer any tigers in residence, the hill is
guarded by Cloud Rock Pagoda, a seven-story brick structure that
leans 6.5 feet off balance. The tower is about 158 feet high, and
has stood in its precarious state since the 10th century. Tourists
can no longer enter the pagoda, as it continues to tilt a few
centimeters each year.

From the vantage point of the pagoda, one can frequently hear
echoes of drums and flutes below. To attract visitors, the park
stages performances of traditional music, dance and acrobats.
Visitors might see boys playing bamboo wind instruments, stilt
walkers dancing in colorful silk costumes and fan dancers executing
precise footwork.

Other notable gardens include the Humble Administrator’s Garden,
the largest, and the Garden for Lingering In, with inlaid walkways
and a 21-foot-high stone from Lake Taihu.

Suzhou is also famous for its silk and embroidery, and most
tours include a look at the silk-making industry.

The Suzhou Silk Museum gives a historical overview of silk
manufacturing, with exhibits of old tools, rich brocades from the
early 1900s and live silk worms busily chewing leaves. There’s even
a large cylindrical stone resembling a millstone once used as
roller to soften fabric.

To see silk in production, clients may prefer to visit a
silk-making factory. The factories provide live demonstrations of
the process, from unwrapping the cocoon to weaving the fabric.

The Silk Embroidery Institute is another popular stop.

Embroidery in Suzhou has evolved to a high art, “almost like
paintings, [the details] are so minute,” said Liadis.

According to Liadis, some of the artists will actually split a
single thread into several fibers, to create shadows and other
effects. Another technique involves embroidering different designs
on the opposite sides of one piece of silk, so that no knots are
visible from either side.

Of course, all of these spots have a showroom, where visitors
can buy silk products. Besides clothing, pajamas and scarves, there
is also a wide selection of pillowcases, handkerchiefs and quilts.
Prices are usually marked dramatically high, so remind clients to
bargain hard in such places. Street vendors offer a less expensive
alternative but often try to pass polyester off as “pure silk,” so
proceed with caution.